Landslides & Debris

Landslides Happen Every Year in BC

Caused by heavy rain, human activity, or earthquakes, a landslide is any type of downward movement of rock and/or sediment. Landslides happen every year across BC and may range from nearly imperceptible movement to thousands of cubic meters of rock and debris moving at speeds greater than 100 km/h.

A debris flow is similar, but, often incorporates a large amount of water and typically results from heavy rainfall and runoff in confined channels such as steep mountain gullies and ravines. The material gains speed and energy and is concentrated into a powerful and fast moving torrent of logs, loose soil, and boulders sometimes as big as cars. As a debris flow reaches flatter ground, the energy dissipates and the debris flow spreads out to deposit material across a wide area. Review our Landslide Safety Checklist (PDF).